The Deputy Premier John Barilaro today announced the fifth Special Activation Precinct in NSW to be established in Williamtown, bringing the total investment for Special Activation Precincts to $1 billion, attracting new investment and creating thousands of new jobs.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro today visited BAE Systems in Williamtown and announced the brand new Precinct would be a national and international defence and aerospace hub.
“With the fifth Precinct announced today, we have essentially created a roadmap for investment across this state,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Special Activation Precincts are about making it easier and more attractive for businesses to set up in regional NSW, create more jobs, and grow our regional engine industries such as freight and logistics, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, hospitality and defence.
We estimate that these precincts will create at least 15,000 jobs across the regions, but we expect that number to climb.
“Precincts have already been announced for Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Moree and the Snowy Mountains and today I’m very happy to add Williamtown to that list, as we create a network of world-class hubs across NSW to fuel regional economies for decades to come.”
The Williamtown Special Activation Precinct will turbocharge the region’s growth as a national and international defence and aerospace hub. The NSW Government will explore 10,000 hectares around the Port Stephens local government area, including Newcastle Airport and surrounds, and will build on the Government’s existing $11.79 million investment into the Astra Aerolab precinct through the Growing Local Economies Fund.
“Special Activation Precincts are master-planned precincts that will offer investors benefits such as streamlined planning approvals, Government led infrastructure and studies, and a business concierge service,” Mr Barilaro said.
“This is about attracting more money to regional NSW, creating job and career opportunities for locals and people who are keen to re-locate, and cutting red and green tape to support job growth in the wake of COVID-19, bushfires and drought.”
The Deputy Premier also announced a $5 million commitment from the Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund for master planning and business case work for the Williamtown precinct, which will begin soon and involve extensive consultation with the community, local councils, businesses and industries.
This investment comes from the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund which is dedicated to delivering transformative infrastructure projects that will benefit regional NSW for generations to come.
Visit www.nsw.gov.au/WilliamtownSAP for more information.
Skip to content